Bonds
by Nishijima Koyuki
Summary: [Some vague manga reference, and a lot of anime reference] They shall learn to care for, and love each other, because there was no other way around it.
1. Ft Yato, Hiyori, Yukine

_**They must learn to forget her, the way she will eventually forget them.**_

_**~.~.~**_

"She brought us dinner again."

"…"

"Even after you told her not to concern herself with us anymore."

"…"

Two men – or rather, boys, stood on the grounds of a shrine belonging to Tenjin, their attention directed at two bento boxes placed next to the offertory box.

The one who had spoken was Yukine, a _shinki _who served the minor God of war, Yato, who, till now, had kept silent, and merely stared down at the bento with his bright blue eyes. The blonde child glanced over at the jersey-clad God sulkily.

There was only one person who knew how hard it was for them to have a proper meal thanks to this God's severe lack of income; _she _was the only one who would bring them homemade food, or treat them to a small feast at a fast food joint.

_ Iki Hiyori._

Yukine missed having her around. She had been so kind, and so warm; she had saved them, and yet, they were keeping their distance and avoiding her…

"We are doing this for her."

Yato's voice cut through the night like a blade, startling Yukine, "if we want her to stop losing her body and continue living well in her own world, she has to stay away. "

His piercing blue eyes met Yukine's warm orange orbs as he continued flatly,

_"The further, the better."_

Yukine winced at the bluntness in Yato's voice and looked away, reaching, instead, for one of the bento that was rapidly cooling in the chilly night. He sat down heavily in front of the offertory box forlornly, and began to eat the dinner that was so thoughtfully packed for them.

_She was going to forget about them, and then return to her normal life as a happy human, capable of making friends and memories, capable of living a comfortable life with her loved ones…_

A lump rose in his throat, and Yukine hastily swallowed a large mouthful of rice in an attempt to get rid of the urge to cry. At the same time, Yato sighed, and stretched out on top of the offertory box. And then, he rolled over to his side so that his back faced his _shinki, _who was sniffling as he continued to wolf down his dinner.

_Gods and their shinki share mind and body, and Yato's chest ached as Yukine's sniffling became louder and more consistent._

His eyes narrowed.

Daikoku had said before that severing a bond is harder than forming one, and Yato couldn't agree more. But at least, he reasoned to himself, gradually fading away from her memory was less painful to bear than having to sever that bond with his own two hands.

Yato clenched his fists resolutely, chest still throbbing uncomfortably as he continued to sense Yukine's troubled thoughts and emotions.

_He would rather die than put his shinki through that sort of torture._

* * *

**So I finally caved in after the fourth episode of Noragami and read the manga. XD This is basically about how Yukine and Yato feel about having to keep Hiyori away from them in order to cure her habit of losing her body. **

**Just in case you're wondering what the difference is, "gradually fading away from memory" refers to how people just forget about Yato and Yukine's existence after some time, while "severing the bond with his own two hands" refers to how Yato and Yukine severed Kofuku and Urasawa's bond in the fourth episode.**

**To be honest I'm not too sure where I'm going with this, or what I was trying to convey. Even though she would forget about them either way, I just felt that it would be really sad if Yato and Yukine had to end up literally "cutting" their bond with Hiyori.**

**Though, now that I sit down and think about it, I really can't decide which is sadder. DX**

**Anyway, hope this is an okay read for you guys~**


	2. Ft Yato, Yukine

_**And then he realized that there was no need to waver; all he needed to do, was to be there for that child.**_

_**~.~.~**_

Curled up tightly on one of the narrow, white beds in the sick bay of Hiyori's school, Yato winced painfully as he clasped his hands at the back of his neck, which had turned a gross purple from his foolish _Shinki's _betrayal.

How many times had it been? He couldn't remember anymore; the pain was really killing him. But no, not yet, he thought as he gritted his teeth, rolled onto his back and massaged the tainted spot tenderly, _not yet_. There must be something he could still do for Yukine.

Yato closed his eyes. Hiyori was right; Yukine was Yukine. He's not just a _Shinki, _not just a tool. _He was human, too. _

_ "Even a God has given up on me."_

_ The bright orange eyes that stared back at Yato was narrowed; the look on his face, cold. _

Yato's brows furrowed, and the hand that was wrapped around his neck slackened. The setting sun and the slight draft of wind eased his discomfort somewhat as he felt himself slipping into disturbed sleep.

_ "You can always use me, you know," Her pale, white hand reached out to him invitingly, "I can be more helpful to you than him…"_

_ Her smile, mocking._

Yato felt himself flinching as he recoiled from that outstretched hand, eyes still shut tightly. _Get lost, Nora, _he willed silently, but the kimono-clad girl stood firm, eyes unblinking, hand beckoning invitingly. She continued to wait, patiently.

_The image of Bishamon, with her head lowered as she bent over her fallen Shinki, surfaced. She was crying, Yato knew, even though her long golden locks fell disheveled over her face, hiding it; even though the rain made it seem as though the whole world was crying, too._

_ Someday, she vowed, she will kill Yato with her own two hands – no, she would have to slay his Shinki before his eyes first, just as he had done with hers – then maybe he would be able to understand her despair._

_ Small fists clenched, and nails dug painfully into the palms of her hands._

Cold sweat trickled down his pallid face to his neck, as he shivered violently and jerked his head stiffly to the side, desperately trying to rid of this horrid nightmare.

_Is this it for them?_

Yukine's gloomy face swam over Bishamon's despair.

_"Call my name, Yato."_

And very suddenly, it was rudely replaced by Nora, who still had her hands stretched out towards Yato. _Get lost, Nora, _and this time, he stood firmer than ever against her.

_Nora slowly lowered her hand; the smile vanished. _

_ Use him any more, and he shall die. Bishamon will kill him when you next fight her. _

The words, mouthed by a cold, nonchalant-looking Nora, stung Yato painfully in the chest. _This pain was a hundred times more painful than the pain Yukine had put him through thus far._

_ Maybe he should end it himself, then? Maybe he could end Yukine's existence once and for all, as punishment for betraying him? Maybe he could slay his own Shinki, the way he had slain Bishamon's…_

That thought, resonating within Yato himself, stung him just as painfully as Nora's words. _This pain was, of course, also a hundred times more painful than the pain Yukine had put him through thus far._

Yato's parched lips cracked open, but no voice came out. His brows furrowed deeper in frustration.

_No… He was not yet done with that brat. _

At once, Nora faded into darkness, her expression unreadable; his pain began to ease, and he began to relax.

There was definitely something he could still do for Yukine. There had to be; Yato was the one who had found him, and named him, after all, and if he should turn his back on Yukine, there would be no one left to help him.

_He shall try a little harder, and then maybe, just maybe, that fragile bond of theirs can be saved._

* * *

**There is a lot of reference to the two latest episodes in this; I actually started writing this after episode 7, but lost inspiration halfway through and only managed to finish it after watching episode 8. **

**Because of that, the finished product may seem to be somewhat sloppy, but I hope it's still an okay read. 8D**

**Because I totally fell in love with Kofuku after episode 8, I might try writing something for her, and Daikoku after this~**


End file.
